KORG iMS20 meets Cyclus 3

Korg iMS20 is controlled by a Spectral Audio Cyclus 3 sequencer, all 7 channels of the iMS20 are used, the Elektron TM1 interface connects the two.

Cyclus 3 is a hardware MIDI sequencer combining both analog and digital style sequencing. It gives you old-school analog-style sequencing for your MIDI gear (no CV/Gate unfortunately). It offers 112 patterns with each 8 tracks. Patterns can be arranged into as many as 30 songs, each with 80 steps of pattern change and 1 to 32 loops and TRACK ON/OFF change. Each song can be named (8 characters). Each of the 8 tracks has 5 subtracks: note (pitch), xtranote, step length, note off time, velocity, ctrl value, ctrl length, ctrl glide on/off (you have to choose between xtranote or one of the controller subtracks). The ctrl tracks can also transmit pitch bend. A Last step (Loop point) can be set separately for each of the subtracks for creating ever-changing complex tracks. All tracks can loop independently, they don’t have to be equal in length. One track can even modulate the basic pitch of another track. Tempo is stored with each pattern.

Create new tracks for an external MIDI-device, in real or step time or by tweaking the Cyclus knobs (analog style). After a real time recording, it analyzes the note and controller data, and creates analogue style tracks from them, which then can be totally tweaked – analog style, even when the Cyclus is running. Create songs step by step, or start the Cyclus in rec mode, and change patterns in real time. There’s plenty of memory for all patterns/songs (will never write “out of memory”). The Cyclus 3 is very accurate due to its interrupt based sequencing machine. It also transmits/receives MIDI-clock. RAM Dump allows storage of your songs onto a PC and the possibility to import data from other sequencers and firmware updates over MIDI is possible. It can be used as a dektop module or rack-mounted with optional rack-ears.